In recent months, I’ve been down on stage plays thanks to several occasions wherein I was randomly and unfortunately seated next to a “loud talker.” Though totally unrelated, I ended up getting dirty looks as though I was responsible for their bad manners when the whole time I just wanted…
Broadly, a griot can be defined, according to Merriam-Webster, as a storyteller. But a griot offers not only a story, but also a cultural education, historical references and African tribal spirit in his stories. Artist Ariston Jacks refers to himself as a “visual griot” as he aims to juxtapose all…
Sandra Lee was the oldest of five siblings and, according to her Web site, helped fashion quality meals for her family on their welfare budget. Thus began her Semi-Homemade empire of cookbooks, life and style guides, Food Network show Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee and various other projects that laud her…
Not that you care about my childhood, but around age 8, I acquired the knack for entertaining Japanese businessmen. Now wait, just let me finish. My dad worked for a Japanese company that, as he explained, “made the parts that connect the parts in a computer.” On occasion, he would…
The good news for all you lazy freaks (read: normal people) that don’t want to run a 25K/50K “ultramarathon” is that El Scorcho’s registration is done filled up. All numbers taken. That doesn’t mean that you can’t head out to Trinity Park in Fort Worth at midnight Sunday and cheer…
If it’s possible for something good to ever come out of the death of a rock ‘n’ roll icon, it’s never the rehash of greatest hits, the concert DVDs or the random memorabilia. In the case of Texas guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, the best thing that came from, or…
The Improv Web site cites comic Sheryl Underwood as a “sexually progressive, God-fearing conservative Republican” but hell, we can forgive anyone a transgression or two if they’re truly funny. Fortunately, Underwood offers a topical and accessible act that any moderately informed and slightly dirty adult can appreciate…which is the exact…
I saw The Music Man in high school. I remember it having one of the most earworm-y soundtracks of anything I’d ever heard. “Ya Got Trouble,” “76 Trombones,” “Shipoopi,” “Marian the Librarian,” “Pick a Little, Talk a Little/Goodnight, Ladies,” “Gary, Indiana” and “Till There Was You” were permanently embedded in…
The thing you most want to do on a national holiday? We surveyed 137 imaginary Dallas-area people and came up with these results: 47 percent said sleep, 32 percent said some combination of or something similar to “drink beer, watch Jerry Springer and Oprah” [if on a weekday, we assume]…
Ah, Independence Day. It’s a day to reflect on America’s freedom, watch fireworks and stuff our faces with as much grilled meat as humanly possible. So, obviously we need a holiday playlist for the inevitable barbecue. As we all know, barbecue sauce is better in Texas. Grilling is better in…
Teen celluloid king Ferris Bueller said, “If you stuck a lump of coal up [his best friend Cameron’s] ass, in two weeks you’d have a diamond.” Now that’s one way to make ’em, but in the English countryside the dastardly Otto von Brunno and his mistress have as their hostage…
Just stop it. Before you go saying that modern dance is all hippy-dippy “I am the tree” crap, just suck it up and admit that maybe you’re a little freaked out by people who can express themselves so completely through a few very natural—sometimes childlike, sometimes sensual, sometimes humorous (yeah,…
Reebok knows how to pull in the crowds. Seriously, 2-year-olds who just learned how to say “mavwick” to 20-something puck worshipers to 80-year-old baseball-lovin’ coots are going to line up to score the good seats for the Sixth Annual Reebok Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game this Saturday at Dr Pepper Ballpark…
For a while there, we were concerned with the über-patriotism plaguing the nation. Don’t get us wrong, country-lovin’ is good, key, in fact, to a successful community, but that seemingly capitalistic trend of magnetic flaggy car ribbons and decals had us worried for a while (and we weren’t the only…
Never thought I’d see the day that a NASCAR event would be sponsored by the Killers. But here it is, clear as day: the Sam’s Town 400. Must be a good promotion for that crapalicious sophomore album. Strange, I never thought that qualifying sessions for the Indy Racing League IndyCar…
What a relief. After all the conflicting news stories, health articles and general word o’ mouth, it’s finally official: Wine, in all available varieties no less, is good for the heart…or, at least, Heart House, a nonprofit agency that provides after-school (and, hopefully, summer, if this event is successful) programs…
When in doubt, craft a play about writing the life story of a South African student. By all means, include dance numbers. Make sure to have an emotional battle between that oh-so-elusive fame and a satisfying home life. Bruce Graham did those things and created According to Goldman, and now…
Two weeks ago, I trekked out to Frisco with a small soccer, er, futbol-lovin’ posse to watch Oduro, Gbandi, Toja and the rest of the FC Dallas smoke out Real Salt Lake with two of the sweetest goals this season. We cheered. Loudly. We ate elote and hot dogs. Drank…
We’re having a difficult time grasping the concept of a singer-songwriter coffee shop line-up putting up their dukes for the Thin White Duke. Frankly, this whole David Bowie Tribute Show over at Opening Bell Coffee from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. this Thursday gives us the shivers…and we don’t mean…
Hurry! The days are running out. Soon the sweltering heat will smother any chance of a relaxing springtime picnic. Instead mosquitoes will pester, pit stains will form and any sort of salad sandwich will be unsafe for human consumption after 4.67 seconds outdoors. Friday through June 2, however, ICT MainStage…
At some point long ago, some early version of a techy out there was totally over the moon when he figured out how to make a digital reproduction of a painting. Think of the mass reproductions! Ah, the ease of art enjoyment! Painter William Betts has a technique that is,…
At one particular Thai restaurant in my neighborhood, I have endeavored for close to a decade to earn the approval of the hostess/waitress. The food is stellar and the seating cozy, but the lady (I’ll call her Thai Waitress) has officially written me off as a medium-spice wimp. Doesn’t help…
